Many publications on several billions of dollars are being invested into Africa’s food systems by several international organizations and financial institutions, but do these funds and resources truly get to them?
My little write-up is an inquest into whether smallholder farmers’ policies and projects are just a money-making avenue for the limited few. As a country and a continent, we cannot develop ourselves out of smallholder farmers’ food systems.
The need to strategically design an Agro Industrialisation and Export Strategy to develop huge commercial Agro-Industries while making efforts to introduce new economic diversification skills to smallholder farmers to empower them to become more economically relevant in the new world technology and higher skills is critical.
No country in the world has ever developed its Agro-Industry and Food Systems using smallholder farmers as the benchmark for raw materials projections for factory processing and value addition.
We must make all the necessary efforts to design a blend and a multidimensional system that will embrace Commercial Agro Industrialisation in Africa while empowering the smallholder farmers to discover and reorient themselves in other economic ventures thereby expanding their true values and potential.
With over 11 million plus farmer population in Ghana and with well over 250 million smallholder and subsistence farmers making up the agricultural sector across Africa, the majority are without the resources and support they need to reach their agricultural potential. Population across Africa in general continues to grow at a faster pace with the majority coming into the food systems.
However, research shows only less than 0.01 % of that population has really been affected by dozens of all governments and development partners’ agriculture interventions. Many are of the view is time the African government draw parity between continued smaller holder policies and moves to a 50/50 financing for both Commercial and smallholder agriculture food systems.
There is a need to refine government agriculture sector policies to reflect Agro Industrialisation for Export and Food Security. Globally, countries with stronger Agro Industrialisation and exports have stronger economies and resilience.
In a World Bank report, African farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 while expanding their access to more capital, electricity, better technology, and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods. Africa’s food and beverage markets are worth $313 billion. #AfricaMustFeedtheWorld
Anthony Kofituo Morrison
CEO, the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana.
Chairman Ghana Agriculture Sector Skills Body of TVET Commission
International Agriculture and Infrastructure Development Group
Management Board Member School of Agriculture University of Ghana Legon
Info@agribusinesschamber.org
www.agribusinesschamber.org
